Thursday, June 1, 2017

I can't believe it's June 1rst.

So much at once~It's amazing really how clematis seem to grow 1 foot in a few hours..how some of my irises are as tall as Oli almost..how some old bleeding hearts never came back.How I can't concentrate enough to read.. my mind is wandering so much.Some parts of the gardens are still unopened..some leaves still waiting to come out..it all fills out and climbs up and blooms eventually..♥I baked 2 small cakes and ..meh..nothing really to write home about ..I like wow..I did really like the Mexican Chipotle Avocado Salad..we made..I don't grill..so anything BBQ'd is a Wemade.I didn't have chipotle powder~I will look for some..but I had Chipotle in adobo sauce and used the sauce part..just add to your liking for the chicken marinade..Season up on all..I s and p'd everything..if you love hot sauce..I would even add a touch to the marinade part..for the chicken..Jacques and I are NOT coriander,cilantro and I know every single one of you that loves it..will LOVE this dish even more..I used my perennial..curly parsley..;)I didn't used canned corn..I used fresh..well as fresh as it can be ..being shipped here..could have roasted on the BBQ but I wanted light and pretty for this.I like using fresh because you can slice off larger pieces..the recipe is so simple..you basically make a vinaigrette.. use 2 tbsps and add ons if you wish like I did for the marinade..marinate overnight..even better..:)You save the rest of that vinaigrette..and don't be afraid to double up..it coes IN the avovado salsa which takes a breath to make and then I drizzled the rest on everything..you can find the recipe..HERE.Serve like this w/ additional Lime Wedges and serve yourself..it says it serves three..it served 2;)I did make those stamped cookies I love and used Karolina's (Goody Woody) rolling pin..I even entered a give away..:) I had Caroline take the photo....as of 7.46 AM the next day..the day aftre the contest closed..which is today..I had not won lol .If I showed you an out take of the photos Caro and I took some of you might laugh..The girls..Caramelle and Bécassine looked like twins forever..now one is smaller..so I am naming her Caramelle..Both have turned into teens w/ attitude..that last photo J took of me w/ his Ipad..trying to capture Caramelle in photo..they love to go under the back porch steps..where there are still some leaves..and forage inthere..or by our neighbours tennis court fence..in back of some of my perennial beds..:(Try getting them out..pardon the apron strung around me..either in the kitchen or the garden..I really like an apron..the garden one has big pockets..so I can keep chicken treats and my camera cap;)Ties for clematis..and rubber gloves..Oh lala..so naughty girls but look at those eggs..can you get any fresher than those LOL:)And the next day had 3!! I couldn't beleve it:)♥Them.:)See the statue in the garden? Through the Le Jardin de La Maison sign?That's Savannah..I have now designated her as the Goddess of Crochet because I need her help..big time..See that gorgeous dishcloth to the left you have seen before? The one that inspired me to finally cave in and really try crochet?Because I am always..always..always cleaning in the kitchen.These are FANTASTIC on counters ..sinks..appliances..Well look at my effort..afer maybe 60 false starts..this was the end result..the one on the RIGHT.Jacques smiled and said:"It looks like a doll's skirt"..the front.Personally I love the even edges..the perfect stitches..the perfect rectangle..So far I am a failure:(And I bought more yarn.A true optimist.I also got some Jane Davenport things at Michaels' w/ coupons..the face stamp was fun and worked well..I wanted a gift tag for a neighbour..it took 10 minutes from beginning to end..the stamp I bought makes different faces..you can mix and match.I loved Colorforms as a child..my love of all these things ..never left I guess..the whole JD set up at Michael's..is so darn cute..I dare you to walk buy w/ a coupon if you love crafting..and not buy a thing:)So cute.I don't know about you but the staff at our Michael's is super nice....there's a Cynthia in particular..I don't know all their names shame on me..the nice guy in frames..the cash staff..oh another girl that just finds every purchase so exciting..She may well have bought that pencila case after I left~

Our birdhouses all have tenants..cute cute finches in that one:)But I think one has wasps:(I walk by so fast..ironically we actually installed a BEE House.Thunbergia and roses will climb that front arbor..the back arbor is new..the one J built 16 yrs ago in wood was rotting.Had to chop down the huge kiwi vines that had engulfed it..start anew..hope they come back..go forth and prosper.All very exciting this Spring season.. even though our weather is not great.Jacques is predicting a wet summer:(It's actually CRAPPY.I just want sun in the day and rain at night.That's all I ask for.In the garden.I have wish lists for everything.My biggest ones..for my Littles.

Some of you may remember the crocheted beggies Susan made me for my birthday a number of yeras back..I still love it....weekends are for markets.

64 comments:

Oh Monique, I love every single photo, every word in this idyllic post! Your garden is amazing -- so much work there but how gorgeous it is. And your teen girls! They're beautiful and so are their eggs. Your cakes may not have wowed you but they look gorgeous and we do eat partly with our eyes. The recipe sounds like one I need to try this summer. Those flavors sound magnificent. This is so my ideal! I love it!

On our "mutual problem" -- I asked our IT person to look into it. She said hotmail is notorious for putting things into the junk file. I think you told me you checked that but is there a difference between a spam and a junk file? Anyway, that's a possibility. She's going to keep digging but there is only so much she can do, since I'm not a hotmail one. I'm beginning to think I should get a secondary address and not tell anyone but you! I am getting your mail fine. I just sent a blog comment reply this morning but it sounds like that didn't arrive either. We'll keep at it!

Hi, I just got your other email. It's from the hotmail address and looks to be the same address I had. Still trying! That place looked great but was booked the days we were talking about. We may be modifying them and I will try again when I know!

I'm guessing you didn't get the one I sent yesterday, either. My IT person said that some of the messages looked queued. Do you have a queue in hotmail? She wasn't sure what that meant. She tried to force one to go again but I'm thinking you didn't get it. (You can reply by email if you want. At least I can see yours!)

Love your pics so much. I can't believe your garden blossomed forth so quickly. It looks beautiful. Half of my birdhouses have wasps in them. Don't know how to stop that. My peonies have come and gone. The most beautiful flowers yet leave far too fast. Haven't crocheted in years. I wouldn't remember how, but I can't remember how to knit either. Even my ukulele I'm going to have to relearn. I miss my chickens.

I have a friend Arlene who took up Ukelele:) She sings w/ it..she comments here sometimes..she's good!I HAVE TO LEARN..it's killing me..the videos..skip one..which one? I wish the videos were clearer:) Everything will pop here soon..those dang wasps..I bet your gardens are looking spiffy..city and country!

Love the pic of you in the garden! Your pretty apron, the bracelets, Goody Woody two shoes ;) The photo of the eggs with the feathers still attached is wonderful. Love that you got three! My peonies are starting to open! That means a storm will come soon to flatten them, right? LOL. I hope Jacques is wrong about the forecast. We've already had so much rain this spring! I hate wasps and hornets! Last summer they built a next on a corner of the house that we don't walk past often and it was BIG by the time we found it :( I'm so glad you're trying to learn to crochet. It takes time to get the 'tension' right when you are leaning. Keep the yarn loose in your left hand. Let me know if you'd like me to make a video for you :) Happy to help with anything you'd like to know about crochet!

My Irises are staring..:) Bit it is sooo windy this yr..I had to run into WM this morning..it was built in a field..w/ Micahels etc..I sweat I get out of the car and I think I will blow away..

so everything in the garden is swaaying..and the clematis are like.. struggling..

A gardener s rarely 100% satistfied is she?:)The salad is good..add what you love..I hate those nests..I guess they have a right to a house too..just farther away please..The crochet..there are so many videos..I will keep tryin..as obviously my technique needs work..go see Marie at The English Kitchen..she just whipped them up..like you and Linda..

OMG now all we have is rain..not a banner sunshine season yet..it will come!She can make a Paris Breakfast rolling pin..no problem.Made to order..shipping reasonable..:) Love her work;)I am waiting for my chicken one..;)

I hope you realize my cloth is tothe right:( Something is not clicking w/ me..the left one is Linda's:)I hope hubby is getting better and better?You too..have a lovely weekend..it's raining here:(Thank you for your nice words Tanna..as always.

It's funny but if I don't get a feed to a blog..even my favorites..I seem distracted..and miss many posts..I need that coming..in my in box..through BL or Blogger..I think I lost many along the way when they switched to WP etc..

a shame..

oh you know QC..it's now or never for gardens;)Last night I had 2 ice packs on my lower back..I bought a new weedwacker..(Vitamix's are much safer) and it was adjusted too low..so the whole time I trimmed all..I was way to bent over with the weight..oh lala..adjusted now..just have to adjust the loewr back;)Thank you for your visit..I am going over to see you now..

I don't know how you do it Monique! Each photo is delightful and gorgeous and makes me smile without fail! Oh how I miss peonies - and they always have little ants hanging around waiting on the sweetness! Your garden is so beautiful, love the pathway and all that green. Have a lovely weekend!

I am coming to see you too now from my laptop..I read about Shanhai last night but my mini Ipad..w/ ads..and having to fill in my info..nothing was working..not your fault..my mini's..now I can go problem free..see you:)And Thank you:)You know all this green bliss is temporary..so nice though to go out in the morning..get your eggs..herbs..edible flowers..a treat.

I do hope you get the days you want, warm sunshine and just enough rain at nice so that your garden thrives. I too can't believe that is is June, the year is almost half over…it is going by faster than I would like.

Oh wow you are right about the year!Karen..remember less than glorious NH springs?Well this QC one is a doozy.I had wool socks on today..and it rained off and on with winds..I didn't let the girls out..they get mad at me now..attitude.I hear this winter was banner beautiful in Fl...

So much to take in. The gardens are magnificent! How do you keep up with them all? I have an indoor project and I'm devoting time to that and need to get out in the gardens and pamper them. We were out briefly the other day and a tick was out crawling along a wall. I am so nervous about tick bites. Now how do you bake with all your jewelry on? I wold have flour and dough stuck in between every stone! So that lovely looking cake was not good? You are in a way saving me because otherwise I would be wanting to bake away. Now that would be torture for someone dieting (and he is doing so well). How he watches cooking shows is beyond me! You have so many talents in crafting don't beat yourself up for not mastering the crocheting. I can't knit to save myself and can only do simple crocheting, baby blankets. Have not mastered sweaters or hats. Too bad there are no yarn stores in town that give classes. Does your library have a crafting group? Maybe they could help. Love your market hats and the radishes Susan crochet for you. Enjoy the weekend!

Well..I am outside every chance I get..I peek about..I must admit my back feels like a bruised back..I only mention this because I know time will heal it..weed wacker/trimmer..new..battery operated so I went berserk !I did not even adjust ies so I was bent over doing the front sides and back..did I say back?Oy..

So funny..I made a new rhubarb cake..it is easy and good..you won't believe what I did..and it worked..a miracle.😉I never take off rings..in fact they have to break off from almost 50 yrs of wear...I feel different without them..The bracelets..I wear one every day..my mom's wide silver one..For baking highly unusual that I would be wearing my left arm bangles..this was for the photo😞I lost ..oh well..😉Ticks freak me out..so many people are finding them on their dogs😢I just want to make dishcloths lol..I have the veggies..lol..I just need dishcloths.Love Them.My new kitchen obsession❤️Have to learn..Marie might give a tutorial.

Monique, where do I begin? There is so much to love here. The shot of you rolling out the cookies, what fun. I am in love with your rolling pin! I am sure those cookies were adorable. Loving the garden shots. Your garden is breathtakingly beautiful. I am a lazy gardener. I like to plan and Todd does all the work, but he is not working so much this year. understandably. The rubber stamp WOW! Je t'adore! Those eggs, so sweet. I love eggs when there are still feather's attached. It makes me think of "HAPPY" chickens and I am sure Caramelle and Becassine are very happy. How could they not be in your environment and with all of your love! Happy, happy girls are they! I want peonies. Perhaps I can talk Todd into getting one. Your crochet is not bad. Remember that those of us who crochet have had years and years of practice and when we started we were not so happy with our creations either. It comes with time and practice. I did do a tutorial for you today. Hoping you can comprehend it. I am not so good with instructions, but I did a LOT of photos! that salad. It is what I love best. I wish we could get good corn over here. Alas we get crapola for corn. Tinned or frozen is the best and that is saying something. I miss good corn on the cob! *sniffle* Have a good weekend! Ours has started out with sunshine. I hope we have sunshine when we are in Scotland! Love and hugs and thanks for all you share! xoxo

I love how you said..not bad..I am really too excited to continue writing I would rather go see your tutorial.THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS as I know I won't be the only one appreciating it..I know it takes time..but do I look like someone who can wait?For crochet?I have the patience of a saint J says..and I do..I even admit it ..unfortunately..I know that if I don't "get" something quickly enough..I walk away:(I hope you have sunshine in Scotland too..here and elsewhere..rain in the forecast..

Yes, it's finally June. Our weather has been all over the map. Hot then chilly and then rain. A pleasant weekend to enjoy. We have been couped up with our two dogs this last week, because of the bathroom tiling job. It should be done after about 4 more days. You look so cute in the garden. Your crocheting does look like a cute dress.

Did you have beautiful sunshine yesterday like we did? Not warm, but lots of sun. Our first veggie pick up is June 12. Has yours started? Your multiple bracelets remind me of a winery event we attended and each winery gave us a bangle with a charm that listed the winery. I love that you are crocheting, just like my mom did 😁

I am totally inept at crochet so far,Marie..at And Then We All Had tea..posted a tutorial..I will I will I will try and get it..a bit busy at the moment..we are having lovely weather today..warm enough and sun..yesterday was bitter cold and sun only at the end of the day:(I do like bracelets..I wonder where I likes and dislikes come from..my mom had quite a few..but I am certain they were gifts from a wealthy uncle..and or passed down..they did not have $$..my dad's parents did..at one time..and one uncle..she was so humble and lovely.Nothing flashy ever.

That winery sounds fun..you are a tre Traveling Tote girl:) All very very cute!

Dearest Monique,LOVE your photos; all of them as they are so bubbly with spring life in all its forms.Can't believe either that we already are advancing into June. Can't keep up and maybe that is a good sign.Never a moment of boredom, I know how to write it in seven languages but don't know how it actually feels!Hugs,Mariette

Well Monique, I'm amazed at your many talents too! Forgot to mention that I noticed you too have such a lovely silver charms bracelet. I still have mine. Grandpa gifted it to me for my 1st Holy Communion and charms have been added for many years. Need to wear it again. Thanks for your lovely ideas...Hugs,Mariette

Your gardens...bracelets....salad....and....YES....your crochet....BEAUTIFUL!You will be a master in no time....try the granny square, the tension may be easier in that stitch.Keep at it!Enjoy your week ahead....Cheers!Linda :o)

I love seeing and reading about your garden, I live vicariously though you :) and your bracelets are so pretty... I went to Michaels this week and ours didn't have the Jane Davenport items I wonder why some get them and others not.Hope your enjoying your week!Jenni

I honestly cannot tell the difference..but I just love having the girls here ..taking care of them ..and everything else that goes along w/ keeping chickens♥Right out back!If you were still living there?You would get my extras.♥

Sweet lady, just keep working on those granny squares!! One day it will be like a light bulb comes on! And, voila you are on a roll!! xoxo ~ t.ps still wish we were all close enough so you, Linda and I could enjoy tea and crochet or knitting! ;)